Greensboro, NC

Barber Park - 18

2.375(based on 41 reviews)
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Barber Park - 18 reviews

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3 0
reichmusic
Experience: 9.8 years 13 played 10 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Disappointed 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 20, 2018 Played the course:once

Pros:

Awesome piece of property. Great mix of available land.

Cons:

Tee pads,
Navigation problems
Construction causing three missing holes

Other Thoughts:

So, the course is in horrible shape. Currently 12,13,14 are gone due to construction.

I played early morning so things were very wet. Dirt trench tee pads are aweful and unusable.

I know it's maintened by the parks department but where's any evidence of the disc golf club? I'm not saying you need awesome concrete pads but take a little pride and throw some wood chips down or something and rake.You are sitting on a possible awesome site- with mature woods and sweet lines. Added with the open holes this could be a killer course. Since next tee pad signs aren't there and the pads are not very visual how bout buy a roll of electric tape and mark on the basket which way to walk. Just a few simple corrections , I hope this construction will force some work and redesign to a turd of a course. I wish I was local. I'd do it all my self one day.
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3 0
pmay5
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 20.8 years 480 played 245 reviews
2.50 star(s)

A good course screaming for some attention!! 2+ years

Reviewed: Played on:May 16, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Good variety of holes, starts with 8 open holes, then moves into the woods and finishes with an open hole.
Fun, "top of the world" tee shot on #5.
Several of the open holes require tee shot placement. Wooded holes require left, right and straight tee shots.

Cons:

Dirt tees, most are worn down and would be a mess after rains.
No tee signs, caused me a few problems the my first time there, just 3 inch high concrete slabs to mark the tees.
Terrible transition from 8 to 9. How can the City allow this on a course that they maintain?
Several holes could be wet and tough to play after rain.
Very few benches throughout the course.

Other Thoughts:

This course makes you throw a lot of different shots, from wide open bombs, to controlled drives in the woods, to tight short tee shots.
#1 and #4 play across the top of a grassy amphitheater, miss your tee shot to the right and it could roll a while.
#5 is the cool tee shot, 370 feet down to a grassy field, where you can't lose a disc! But keep your tee shot left, because there is a sizable mound protecting the right side.
#11 is a cool woods hole, moving left to right to the basket on a mound.
#14 is a fun, tunnel tee shot from the woods into an open field. The basket is between two large trees, so keep it left.
As most every reviewer has said, this could be a really good course, its been here 18 years, and I don't think they have made any improvements since then, except maybe adding a message board at #1. If this course had the same amenities (concrete tees, tee signs, benches) that the Patriot has, the ratings would jump up at least 1 full disc.
Too bad that Greensboro has added things to this park (amphitheater stage, indoor building, playground, sprayground) but nothing to this course. And this seems to be the only course maintained by the City!
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1 1
J-swish
Experience: 8.2 years 8 played 7 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Decent--Wear Waterproof Shoes 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 18, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

Starts with long open holes with decent distance and height challenges. Then moves into the woods for tighter shot shaping. Good mix of distances and shot shapes. Targets in great shape.

Cons:

Boggy ground on a few holes. They dry out occasionally, but mostly wet. No tee pads, just concrete markers. Need map to navigate the first time. Some woods holes could have clearer paths, and one hole is over a parking lot--i have never seen cars in the lot, but hole would be unplayable if there were.

Other Thoughts:

This is my closest course, and a great place for a quick round. Very close to 85 if you are passing through.
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6 0
nevets4433
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.2 years 62 played 60 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Has potential, but needs all the little things 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Feb 7, 2016 Played the course:once

Pros:

Barber park is a sprawling DG course that while not having a very high level of difficulty does pose some interesting challenges. The first 8 holes are largely open holes played around the amphitheater and around to the back of the indoor sports arena. Though many of these holes tend to be very open, some crafty elevation changes and the use of terrain make them have a few interesting looks.

The back nine is a much more technical, and more enjoyable nine that plays through the woods near the back of the property. Most of these holes have amply cut fairways that require and reward good throws. Accurate tosses can yield a lot of birdies on this side.

The first hole is very well marked with a kiosk which includes very nice, professional scorecards with a course map. This is a huge plus at this course, because as below the navigation can be a mess.

There were a few holes that I really enjoyed. 9 is a fun RHBH anhyzer up and over a small ridge into the trees. It is the first of the wooded holes and was a great break after 8 largely open ones.

13 is another fun hole that plays down a hill into the trees on the right.

Finally 15, 16, and 17 are really pretty holes. 15 and 17 mirror each other as straight holes in a flatland by the creek, and 16 is a really fun, short downhill throw to a guarded basket.

Cons:

Unfortunately, as the title of my review says, this course lacks a lot of the little things. These problems really take away from the enjoyment of the course.

The most glaring issue on this course is navigation which can be a nightmare. There are no hole signs (except for the kiosk on hole 1). The tee boxes are only marked by a 4-5 inch concrete cylinder which is difficult to see, and many holes require a significant amount of backtracking to get to the next tee. The back nine has a few very non-intuitive walks from green to the next tee. Bringing a course map is a must. Even with one, I was unable to find the 7th tee stone.

There is at least a small #9 sign directing players from hole 8 green over the pipeline to the 9th tee, but this is a pretty ugly trek and I could definitely see players having doubts as to if this was the correct direction.

The teeboxes themselves are a mess. They may have been cinders at some point, but now are dug-out dirt. Many are very uneven. As above, I could not find #7's even with a map. Also, holes 2 and 4 tees are very close and are a setup for confusion, as are holes 15 and 17 whose tees are also in close proximity. Some hole signs there would be a drastic improvement. The teebox for hole 13 has also been dug out by a large vehicle tire and was not really playable due to the disrepair and standing water. A lot of the teeboxes are gradually moving forward from the tee stones which is weird.

The course layout also sets itself up for some issues. Holes 1-8 are all basically wide open in a field and get monotonous. Holes 7 and 8 play behind the indoor facility building in a not very scenic location. 9 and 10 are good holes, but 11 is a narrow throw through the woods which really doesn't have a fairway. Hole 12 invites a throw to hyzer out over a parking lot towards the pin, and 14 plays over center field of an old baseball diamond which didn't seem necessary given all of the available terrain.

After the really pretty stretch of holes 15-17, the course emerges to hole 18 which plays around the side and to the back of another maintenance shed with barred windows - a rather ugly and anticlimactic finish, even though the design is ok.

Finally, the old chainstar baskets are a bit difficult to see. The course would greatly benefit for some coloration on the baskets to help visibility

Other Thoughts:

This course, though far from perfect, is definitely playable. The combination of front and back actually do balance out to give a nice mix of open and wooded holes. It really does suffer from the lack of the little things - hole signs, tee boxes, navigational aids, visible baskets. The difficulty of navigation really does highlight the lack of the above amenities and significantly detracts from the course. I am giving the course a rating of 2. With some improvements, this course could be so much better and it feels like there is the potential for a good disc golf facility on this site if there is a bit more investment.
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4 0
dndelli
Gold level trusted reviewer
Premium Member
Experience: 16.7 years 134 played 131 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Barber Park

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jan 9, 2016 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The most prominent pro to Barber Park is its proximity to the colleges of Greensboro. This is a great course for college students to first try their hands at Disc Golf. With a nice mixture of open and wooded holes, it is a great course for beginners to begin developing their skill.

Barber Park offers a lot of open holes, which I really enjoy. As someone who can throw extremely far with little effort, I really enjoyed the front half of Barber Park. There is also some decent elevation change to accompany many of the holes. Different kinds of elevation too. Ups, downs, up-and-downs, there seems to be a good mix here.

This course has a lot of potential to be quite good, but its age is showing. This is actually something that I enjoy seeing. I love playing older courses because it allows you to witness the growth of the sport. None of the fairways are overly long, and most are either extremely open or fairly open.

One of my favorite things is you can play Holes 1-8 and then skip over to 18 if you want a short round on open holes. This also allows you to get some quick rounds of drive practice in.

Cons:

As I said, this course is in desperate need of some repairs. It feels as if it was not meant to be permanent as the tees were just concrete cylinders placed in the ground to mark the edge of the tee. Most of these are seeing a lot of wear and tear due to years of play. Some even have tree roots and/or rocks on the "tees"- forcing people to move to the side.

There is a definite lack of signage that hinders this course (which already has a less than obvious layout at times). Only a few of the tees are marked with the hole number (and unfortunately it's not the ones that need it most).

The baskets can be quite difficult to see as the sun sets as they are old Chainstars. These should either be replaced or painted yellow near the top so that they are visible from the tees.

I think my biggest con is that the majority of the holes here seem to be forced. I love open, grassy fairways- but it gets repetitive throwing in a straight line over an open field to a basket. Some more minor obstacles obstructing your shots would have been a nice touch, and would add some scenery.

Other Thoughts:

As a Charlotte native, I am going to admit I may be jaded to the course designs of Mecklenburg County, but Barber Park feels both dated, and in disrepair. But I do think it's a potential gem. I would love to see some nice additions to the course such as concrete tees, signage, a few benches, and some trash cans. If this course saw the addition of these things I would probably give it a rating closer to 3.0 or a 3.5! I doubt I would give it higher than that because very few of the holes have any flair and are very straight forward.

To be honest the time I have spent at school in Greensboro- I have played little Disc Golf because Barber Park hasn't been able to hold my interest. It however is a great course for teaching your friends how to play since there is a nice mix of open and wooded holes.

Favorite Holes: 4, 5, 11, & 15
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5 0
KenanFlagler01
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 14 years 195 played 190 reviews
2.00 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 24, 2015 Played the course:once

Pros:

1. Open elevation. I played Barber immediately after playing Springwood, just 20 minutes down I-40. I was struck by how similar the courses are. You don't find many completely wide open courses in North Carolina, but here are two just 20 minutes apart. Springwood is a superior course due to navigation, quality of tees and baskets, and upkeep. However, I actually enjoyed playing the open front 9 at Barber as much or more than Springwood. There's great elevation, including my favorite hole, #5. On this hole, you tee off from atop a pretty big hill down to a basket in the large field below. You can see that the basket is on the edge of another hill below, but you don't realize that the hill really guards the basket. If your tee shots lands far enough right of the pin, you can't even see the basket, despite being in a wide open field, because of the hill, which is bigger than it appears from the tee.

2. Two courses in one. The only other advantage over Springwood is the variety. The first half of the course makes you think the course is 100% wide open, like Springwood, but then you transition to the wooded half of the course. It reminded me of Cedarock/Wellspring. This isn't a perfect analogy, because the relatively nearby Cedarock and Wellspring are fantastic 3.5-4.0 level courses (and they are 36 holes, not 18), but Barber did remind me of Cedarock/Wellspring in that it's two courses in one: an open portion and a wooded one.

3. Old course with great potential. This is an old course that's showing its age. There are no tees, no signs, and below average baskets. The course needs some TLC or a full-fledged makeover. But the bones of this course are pretty good. A refresh would make all the difference. As is, I gave Barber a 2.0. I don't think this could be an *amazing* course, but I could easily see it moving up to a 2.5 or *maybe* a 3.0 with a few easy fixes, improvements, and general upkeep.

4. Easy to get to. As mentioned, Barber is right off of 40 and you can quickly hop on and off the interstate to play it if you're passing through Greensboro.

Cons:

1. "Tees." There are no tees at Barber, other than a worn patch of dirt in the grass (for the open, front 9). Navigational signs are nonexistent (more on that in a second), so if you can't find the patch of dirt serving as the "tee," you just have to make up the hole you're on. The "tees" are actually unusable, as the ground is uneven and the area is too small for your run-up. On the open holes, you are forced to tee off from more level grass beside or in front of the dirt patches.

2. Navigation. When you arrive at the first "tee," make sure you pick up a scorecard and course map at the info-board. Otherwise, you will have zero hints as to how to navigate the course. Even with the map, navigation is difficult. There are no tee or directional signs on the course. You are basically forced to guess which tee you're on and which basket you're trowing to. When the course transitions from the open, first half of the course to the wooded holes, there's a hole in a fence, then a drop down to a large pipe where you cross a creek. It looks like a rundown shortcut through the property rigged up by local kids. No, this is actually part of the course. This is the point at which you ask yourself, "Is it worth it to keep playing?"

Other Thoughts:

Would I play Barber again? Mmmmaybe. It's so easy to get to, that I probably would, time permitting. But there are other courses in the area that are superior that are a little further off the beaten path that I would much prefer playing.
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6 0
hoppedup
Bronze level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10 years 104 played 27 reviews
2.50 star(s)

My home course... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 13, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

This course has a nice mix of open and wooded holes. The front 9 are generally wide open. These holes give plenty of chances to throw big.
#3 has a steep drop-off in the woods on the left that has swallowed a few of my fellow players' discs.
#4 has a few trees that make you think about shot selection. I throw low on this one.
#5 is a huge downhill empty-out-the-bag kinda hole. I have lost three discs to the Leland Cypresses on the right due to grip lock.
#7 is just a shot over a big field. It gets pretty mucky after rain.
#8 has some rough on the right side that is brutal in the summer.
The back 9 are fairly wooded.
#9 is a blind shot over a hump.
#10 you need to watch for players on 9 as the fairways are side by side. #10 requires a left to right shot out of the woods into a field
#11 is my favorite hole at Barber. There is a narrow path to the basket on the left and right, but it is heavily wooded.
#13 is another left to right shot but you throw from the open into the woods.
#14 is a favorite as well. You tee off from the woods about 8 feet above the field you are throwing into.

Barber Park is a nice park. I like playing here and I know the course really well. The baskets are in good shape.

I have never seen a crowd at Barber. I don't like crowds so this is a huge plus for me.

There will be a re-design based on some new construction planned in the park. This will be a positive thing as I believe the chance for signage and tee pads will follow.

Barber Park is just a couple of minutes off of a major interstate, so it can make for a quick round if you are passing through (and have a course map)

Cons:

Most of Barber does not drain well. After rain the open holes and particularly #15 and #17 can be mucky and nasty.

The dirt tee pads have been worn in from use and if you pay attention many of them have gradually slipped forward of the concrete tee markers.

There is no signage and the flow is not intuitive. Pick up a course map at the first tee if you are a first-timer.

I often encounter the neighborhood kids partaking of illegal substances on the transition between 14 and 15. It has never really bothered me, but be aware it happens.

Other Thoughts:

I really like Barber Park. I enjoy playing it but I am a homer on this course.

The transition between 8 and 9 (turn left at the break in the fence to the left of #8, step down to the creek, one rock hop, then step over the small spillway(3 feet maybe)), while not typical by any means, does not seem dangerous to me if you are somewhat proficient at walking/stepping.

The walking path is close to several holes. In most cases it would have to be a pretty poor throw to interfere. #16 throws over the path but the tee is right beside the path and visibility is good to spot pedestrians. I have never had to yell "Fore!" and I have played Barber more than 30 times so I did not list this as a con.

Barber is a good course that will hopefully be great in the future.
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3 2
borderpatrol
Experience: 25 played 2 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Case of the barbs 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Jan 11, 2015 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-Not crowded, therefore, a good place to practice multiple shots.
-A majority of holes are at the 300ft range, demanding the right disc choice.
-Feels good to get a birdie

Cons:

-Boring as crap
-Park isn't very scenic
-No tee-boxes or signs
-No alternate tee or pin layout
-Repetitive shots off the tee

Other Thoughts:

Barber park needs some hot sauce. Its pretty plain out there. Its really easy to get lazy and lose interest while playing this course.
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4 2
Nemmers
Silver level trusted reviewer
Experience: 10.7 years 89 played 33 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Lots of potential... 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:May 4, 2014 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Great atmosphere. A very big and really nice park. Its girth is fairly deceiving. Parking and amenities are plentiful. This is obviously a "big town" park. Greensboro did it right. While the course circumnavigates the entire park, most of the holes make you feel relatively secluded, giving it an air of privacy. I'll echo what reposado said: If you're a runner, this would be an excellent place for a jog -- the trails are choice. Add to that the fact that there was literally ZERO traffic on this day it made for a great round.

- Sweet variety. Lots of holes to showcase your big arm in the open field, but also many opportunities to practice your accuracy in the wooded fairways that comprise about half the course. It's a good mix and they blend it nicely.

- Top quality baskets. Chainstars have been well-cared for and are very forgiving.

- Elevation. Living in coastal Carolina makes one appreciate the value of elevation in disc golf courses since many in our area don't feature these niceties. #5 was especially fun: Standing on top a huge hill throwing down to a target partially hidden by another hill made me (for the first time) truly consider wind, distance, and altitude. Made me really appreciate how far I could actually throw. An eye-opener, to be sure. (Not in a good way.)

Cons:

- NO SIGNAGE: My biggest gripe. The first hole lulls you into a false sense of security. The mailbox that houses copious amounts of well-designed scorecards makes you believe that the rest of the course echoes this. Newsflash: It doesn't. Do yourself a HUGE favor and grab one of those bad boys because you WILL need it to find the basket and/or where the next hole/tee might be. The lack of signage makes it darn-near impossible to find where you're going if you don't have a map. Some holes are fairly straightforward, but others - specifically 6, 9, 10, 11, 15, 16, & 17 (to say nothing of 18, of which I could find no evidence, tee or basket) - will be more confusing than a quantum physics exam to a retarded monkey taking the ASVAB. #9 comes to mind specifically: You hole-out on 8 and are looking for the next tee. The course map on the scorecard provided on #1 seems to indicate you have to cross a creek. Okay, there's a gap in the fence to the left of the 8 fairway that leads you to an elevated, concrete pad crossing what appears to be a sewage run-off that smells like Big Foot's pee-pee. Across it you see a worn-out gravel area surrounded by man-hole covers that head into the woods. This is the #9 tee, which I coined "Pedophile Playground." It's not, of course, but it was a little creepy. Proper (any!) signage would cure that.

- Tees? Tees? Tees? Anyone? Beuhler? Don't bother looking....there are none. It's grass. Correction: It's dirt. Sometimes. Natural tees aren't terrible when they're defined, but these aren't. Sometimes there's a "white" rock that says where you're supposed to tee from, but sometimes there isn't. Very confusing for a course-virgin player throwing solo.

- Layout. The course offers a pretty wide variety, but it seems as if the designers sort of threw up their hands on a few holes and just said, "Alright, just put a basket there and a basket there. They'll figure it out." #6 immediately comes to mind. After a really cool #5 they didn't even put any logical progression as to where the next hole should be. Signage (again) would have helped. #12 is also a problem in that they make you essentially throw through a parking lot where cars are parked. Not good karma. Had to play extremely conservatively to avoid hitting the Ford F-350 parked to the right of the "fairway."

- No topless Hooters girls frolicking along the #8 fairway.

Other Thoughts:

Truth be told, this is a nice place for a course - and the course that's there has outstanding potential. The 2.0 I give it has nothing to do with its playability, so much as it does its lack of clarity. With a few hundred bucks spent on signage (no teepads required!) and a little TLC, Barber Park could be a really exceptional course. It's sort of like a really hot girl with a colostomy bag. You know what you WANT to do and you know what you're SUPPOSED to do, but you're not exactly sure "how" to proceed with the deed given the gauche medical limitations. In short, it's awkward but worth playing.
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6 0
blackseth99
Experience: 8 played 1 reviews
3.50 star(s)

Alright, an (accurately biased) review of Barber Park course 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 4, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The course has quite a few strong points. The layout is in a big almost horse-shoe layout. The holes wrap around the entire park. The first hole is clearly labeled with the sign post and a convenient box with free score cards that have a map on the back of the course. The holes themselves are mainly split into 2 categories: the first half are mainly in the fields and therefore open; the second half is mainly in the woods, although well cleared out which offers avenues to throw through. The holes in the first half are beautiful in the course are great for your warm up because the obstacles are usually minimal; they include minor turns, mostly sparse trees (save for a few large tree lines and hole 4), large sloping hills, and forest-edges. These hazards are sparse except for hole 4 and 8, but really allow you to develop your general shots, as you can be so versatile on the first half. By the tee of hole 9 (which is a hard left through the fence after hole 8 and over a small dam) you are into the shade of the woods and darting in and out of the woods for the second half. The fairways are cleared of most small obstacles like small trees and brush for most of the holes (exceptions being 9, 11 and 13) in the second half and these put you into using your long sloping shots to get the best angles. The tees for the next hole are often just far enough that the people playing behind you won't be able to reach you with their approach shots, which makes the tee shots feel very comfortable and unrushed. Overall, the holes tend to be standard size, if not rather long for all par 3. The whole course is an enjoyable workout for my game, as you have an opportunity to put your arm into the shots that give you an edge off of most holes on any other course.
6 is across another beautiful field. 9 is the first time you head into the woods.

Cons:

The holes are not clearly marked, save for an ankle high, or lower, concrete cylinder and the worn in dirt area that has been worn in after seemingly long periods of wear from shoes of people teeing off. That leads to the other biggest issue, the tees themselves. The tee boxes are not concrete, but rather natural tee boxes, which is only a problem for a few holes (2, 8, 10, 13) that have a large rock or roots emerging from the middle of the tee. If you're looking for a technically challenging course, you'll have only a few chances to fill that urge. For many of the holes (especially the first half) a wide variety of throws will be effective in any situation, which may bore you (although I don't have any problem staying interested in the course). Holes 7 and 8 can flood slightly after a good rain. This is a problem for the next day too. The same holes and then into the woods have a few bugs to contend with as well.

Other Thoughts:

The course gives you lots of opportunities to use the shots that you like to use. It's not a challenging course to overcome and the layout is pretty easy to master after a few play-throughs. The hole distances alone are very good and let you have a good chance of par 3 being an goal for beginners and very achievable for intermediate players. The course has good lines of sight to the holes right off of the tee, save for a few holes (9, 10, 11, 16). The first half and the second half of the course complement each other surprisingly well, if you are looking to incorporate a warm up in the first half. The alternative is that the holes can seem unchallenging for advanced players, but even they can use the holes to get some good practice for their distance shots and open free approaches. The bugs that start as a problem aren't really an issue if you have bug-spray on (you can still see the gnats, but they hardly bite). The tee-boxes are really mostly a cosmetic thing in my opinion. It's an amenity that would definitely be one of the largest improvements to this course, but the natural tee-boxes could use a little maintenance on the holes that have small obstacles on them. Unfortunately, another amenity that was skipped were nice hole markers. That means that finding the next hole takes a bit of work your first time playing the course. But again, the feel of the course as a whole is solid and accessible for return plays and the experience is relaxing. If you have a friend that's played it before, definitely tag along with them to get the layout down. 7 and 8 are a rather significant problem after it rains, but they're easy enough to skip when they're wet and you'd like to play the second half in the woods. The edges of the woods are dangerous because the edges are thick with brush. This course is definitely worth consideration due to the gorgeous landscape setting and if you want a workable course that you can practice the shots you need to practice on almost every hole.
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7 0
Tenacious EJ
Experience: 30.6 years 72 played 13 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Ok course that could be great 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 1, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

-mixes it up with open and wooded holes
-not technically difficult, but you pay dearly for many mistakes
-location is right off highway and the course is never crowded

Cons:

-no sinage, no tee pads! seriously Greensboro? are concrete and wood THAT expensive?!?
-almost all holes require a strong arm
-too many "grip it and rip it" holes that require little skill
-too much of this course puts people at risk of injury, both the payer and other park attendees
-not in the best part of town, though I've never heard of an issue on the course and I'm a cop in Greensboro
-soggy

Other Thoughts:

Man what I'd love to do to this course if they gave me the money! The complaints here are numerous, and many are quite easy fixes. The front 8 have been called boring, which is fair, but with a little tweaking could be interesting. 1 is fine. 2 is arguably the least interesting hole ever laid down on a golf course. 3 could be sweet if they put the basket under that tree on the ridge 30 feet from where it is, then bringing the tee closer and make it a par 2. Hole 4 is downright dangerous if there are people hanging out at the picnic tables, which is rare. I like 4 just fine. 5 would be better if the basket were moved up to the edge of the ridge. 6 needs something, anything. Its long and frequently soggy, and boring as heck. 7 and 8 are begging for a legit water hazard, not just the sea of mud that you usually find. Between 8 and 9 is a creek you must cross at great personal risk. In lawsuit-happy Greensboro, its a testament to how underused this course is that there's not been an accident. Bridge please!!! 9 is fine, though it smells of sewage due to the sewage line running beneath it. 10 is great. The basket for 11 is placed among a number of small rain runoffs and if you could ever throw a disc to reach it it'd be a fun hole. Alas, at 275 ft, its basically one of the shortest par 5's ever, par being average, which is usually how many strokes people blow on this hole. 12 is ok, but there's a chance of landing in a parking lot, which like the rest of this park, is usually empty. 13 is good, but the mando needs proper marking. 14 is good, though not as exciting as several have suggested. 15 and 17 are as unexciting as can be, unless of course you miss it into the swampy area, in which case beware and make sure your tetanus shots are updated. 16 is actually a great hole, a short, blind throw that quite unfortunately crosses over a foot path through the woods. 18 is another lame, unchallenging hole that requires you to throw at and around a building, sometimes at people making out. All that aside, the course is NEVER crowded, is always maintained, and its length makes it a challenge, so its an easy, quick course to play.

Since a number of these reviewers aren't from Greensboro, they probably don't realize how little this park is used by the citizens of Greensboro. I don't know of one single event that has been held at that amphitheater in the past 6 years, so the fact that several holes play along this feature is moot. As I said, spending a little money on this course would be worth it. Navigating the course would be far easier if there were tee pads and signs. And since you're laying down concrete, second tees for longer and shorter players would be nice. Add in a second pin placement and you've got a course that changes weekly. Presently you have a disc golf course haphazardly and lazily placed in an underutilized park. It really could be a gem and the focus of the park if you spent a little money. Plant some trees to make skill a factor on those long, early holes (Greensboro Parks and Rec, river birches love full sun, suck up water, and grow extremely fast!). Water hazard 8/9, you could drain the water into there easily. Build a bridge across the dam. Give us a fairway on 11. Tweak 12 to keep it away from the ballfield parking lot. Start over with 15-18 (though I still like 16), and you'd have a course that would be a solid 4, and something to be proud of.

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5 2
reposado
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 12.7 years 278 played 273 reviews
2.50 star(s)

Lefty Bombers Need Courses Too 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:Nov 13, 2013 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The best thing about Barber Park as presently constructed is how much it favors RHFH players, at least on a personal level. If you are in doubt about where a basket is, (and you will be) just assume if bends to the right and throw.

It's a fun course that has a ton of distance but where every hole is still parkable. The first eight holes are in open fields with straight paths to the hole. The only qualification is being able to throw 300-400 feet. The back half of the course is in the woods for the most part, but with forgiving fairways that can all be nailed by throwing 200-something feet and fading right.

It also has hole 5, which is a nice shot off a small bluff that will make you want to throw everything you have into the open field below. True, the basket placement below the hillcrest is unfortunate, as there are points within the circle where the basket is invisible, but that doesn't take away from that tee shot.

There's also 14 which again uses an elevated tee but this time there are woods to the right and a tree guarding the basket, limiting the lines that you can use to the pin.

It's not a great course, but it's one that most will have fun playing. There will be ample chances to air it out and there will be some shot shaping as well. Not a destination course and not an everyday course, but definitely a once-in-a-while course.

Cons:

The layout is a mess. There are maps on the scorecard and you better have one, because without one you have pretty much zero chance at finding tees. They are not where you would even guess the next tee would ever be. What's more, tees are not visible from the distance so you need to go where the map tells you. (Some of the tees are in the last place you would think form the previous basket) Look for the strip of rutted dirt.

There are no tee signs. Typically, you can see the basket so that's ok. For the others, you can tell where its likely to be by using the direction and distance as indicated on the scorecard.

There are no tees, just areas where the grass has been worn out from years of people teeing there. There is a small post but its low enough for a lawnmower to run over safely. They're hard to see. Really you can just tee off from somewhere close that is flat so its not the biggest deal.

There is also a couple holes where something is in the way. 2 features a road on its left, but it'd be a fairly errant shot that got there. The road is much closer to 1 and 18 strangely shoots right at a building

Some of the holes are just weird in how far you have to walk to get there, considering how unspectacular they are. There is a ton of space here and both fields and forest are ample. I'm no course designer but I'd have to think you could come up with a layout here that either featured good holes or good flow, if not both.
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5 2
BuzzSharpe
Experience: 53.7 years 77 played 24 reviews
2.00 star(s)

Barber, Oh Barber 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Updated: Played on:May 5, 2013 Played the course:5+ times

Pros:

The most positive pro about this course is its close proximity to my farm and to my primary playing partner's house. Beyond that, Barber has the vista viewing, expansively open green grass fairways that I most appreciate and enjoy. It also has some very well designed and defined wooded holes for variety. #14 is perhaps the best conceived hole I've ever played, though it could and should be better, making better use of the available land, so as to be a magnificent par 4, or maybe even 5.

Cons:

The cons are so numerous, in terms of design flaws. 1 and 4 need to be altogether eliminated, as they fly over the audience area of the amphitheatre at either side, with #4 also crossing through two picnic spots. Not necessarily a design flaw as much as an aesthetic error, #5' s basket should have been placed on top of the hill, rather than behind it. And to have only two holes in that grandly expansive open area behind the amphitheatre is beyond flawed to the point of sinfulness. The traverse between 8 and 9 is perhaps the worst, most dangerous design flaw I've ever encountered. I am amazed that no one has gotten hurt or even killed making that trip. Unlike the course's other wooded holes, #11's fairway is anything but fair. In 15 years of playing Barber, I've managed to hit the green once. #12's basket is poorly placed, so that you are pretty much forced to navigate the ball field's parking lot and a walkway into/out of the park. #16 is overly short, out of character with the rest of the course. It is isolated and almost unfindable and shoots over a paved sidewalk. It is the hole where I scored perhaps my oddest ace; the double ricochet, blind, silent ace. It is eliminated in my redesign of the course as part of my proposed master plan for the park.
The tees. what can be said of the tees except that they suck. This site lists them as grass, but they are, at best, dirt ruts and exposed roots. They are mostly mud slicks. I think that I'll edit that as soon as I finish this. And there's only one tee per hole, making this layout geared toward pro and advanced level players. Those pitiable little cylinders should be painted blue, rather than white.
The biggest con about Greensboro's only course is the city's disdain, disregard and disrespect for our sport. This course has experienced no improvements, changes or upgrades, except for new #18, which was moved in deference to other park activities. Oh yeah; there were those ridiculous little plastic numbered signs that were about as prominent as the cylinders that lasted about a week and a half. And the only reason that this course exists is the local players, who spent the time, effort and money to make it a reality.
Despite its specific negatives, I still rate Barber as generally a good course, rather than typical, because it is not typical to find a course with such open air through which to let them fly.

Other Thoughts:

7 or so years ago, city voters approved a $10 million dollar bond referendum for Barber Park improvements, which included $39,900 for the disc golf course. How could that much money be spent on a course that already has its baskets, you ask? We asked the same question then. By spending millions on a new community center/memorial museum and putting it where it will destroy holes 13 and 14 and the baseball practice field, not to mention so many tremendous trees. By spending millions more building a highfalutin new office/maintenance building where 2 and 3 are, so a handful of park employees can have fancy new digs in which to hang out. That is the area where the community center/memorial museum should be placed. Modest modernization of the presently located office building/maintenance area is completely in line, but what they're planning to do with way too many taxpayer dollars is waaaay out of line and will be an overt eyesore right at the park's main entrance/exit. I have recently learned that the reason for all of that is due to dumb mass Dummycrap flood plane rules and regs, governing much of the park's land, as it falls into what is referred to as a 100 year flood plane, meaning that Buffalo Creek will spill over it banks once every century or so. Against those expenditures, $39,900 is butt wiping money.
So, the course will be thrown into and relegated to the swampy stench filled forest bordering the cesspool that is Buffalo Creek, Greensboro's septic tank, so to speak, killing untold numbers of majestic, mature, old growth trees. while killing what character Barber Park DGC has with its beautiful, green grass open fairways. Of course many more trees than that are going to be felled to make room for a new YMCA with soccer pitches and parking lot slated for the woods next to the lawn where 2 & 3 are now. Or maybe, they'll do with it as they did with their Bryan Park DGC some thirty years ago....bulldoze the Chainstars right up out of the ground and push them over the bank of Buffalo Creek, since there isn't a cliff over which to push them as there was at Bryan Park. .
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2 2
der Turkey Vulture
Experience: 8 played 4 reviews
1.50 star(s)

Could be a lot better 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Oct 27, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

In a lovely park area.
Tee cards (with must-have map!) available at the #1 hole.

Cons:

Horrid tee boxes, if you could find them. I doubt you would find them without the scorecard map, and that took some minor orienteering skills to negotiate. It is something that could be so easily and inexpensively addressed that it's a shame it is left so poorly attended.

#2 hole was unplayable due to sewer construction. Hopefully, that won't be an issue for long.

Really awkward layout. Definitely comes across as a dgc placed amidst a park and fit in somewhat ramshod.

Also, it plays through components of the park (i.e. #4 through some dining tables), which doesn't bode well during busier times.

The walk-through from #8 to #9 is poorly marked and somewhat dangerous. Possible safety hazard.

Other Thoughts:

Given the ratio of cons to pros, I doubt I'd return for disc golf.
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5 0
keltik
Experience: 16.9 years 47 played 14 reviews
1.00 star(s)

Not worth it 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Sep 9, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

- Beautiful scenery
- lots of amenities/multi-use park
- score cards available at first tee box (also a coupon for Omega Sports!)
- most of the holes are kinda nice

Cons:

here we go:
- no signage
- poorly maintained natural tees (I like natural tees but you have to put extra effort into them.)
- course felt poorly laid out
- hole 2 unplayable due to construction
- course is a nightmare to navigate
- crossing from hole 8 to hole 9 is treacherous. I'm honestly surprised someone hasn't gotten hurt and sued the city.
- the front 8 and 18 is just meh
- hole twelve plays entirely too close to a parking lot.
- Hole 16 plays across a walking path (kinda dangerous for other park users).
- some parts of the course made me wish I had a CWP
- course is in the worst part of Greensboro

Other Thoughts:

well this course has potential. If the city were to spend some extra money to make tee signs and either have pads poured or continuously put woodchips or something on the tees this course would possibly jump up a couple of points in my rating. they would also have to reconsider the layout for quite a few of the holes to abate the safety issues. I am thoroughly surprised that this course has been in the ground since 1998 and they haven't found a safer way to cross from number eight to number nine. You have to walk across a drainage dam/culvert I don't know what. I'm very surprised someone hasn't slipped off of it, gotten hurt and sued the city. but since this park is in a rough area I don't think it gets a lot of DG traffic. I only saw maybe 5 other people playing the course while I was there (and today was GORGEOUS!!)

Bottom Line: it's not worth a visit. Keep driving on I-85 and play Creekside Park in Archdale NC or just going until you get to Charlotte.
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6 1
New013
Diamond level trusted reviewer
Experience: 13.7 years 179 played 120 reviews
2.00 star(s)

No Arbor Barber 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 15, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Layout - It's a whole lot of open with a wee bit of trees in your way.. sometimes.

If you like open the first 8 are completely open with the exception of 4, it has a few trees saying excuse me. If you need a place to practice distance accuracy this is a good one.

A few holes do use the minimal elevation changes to make interesting basket/tee locations.

The back nine gives you a somewhat of a mixture between open and tree lined but wide fairways.

Atmosphere - It's a really nice park considering the other things in it. 15 & 17 are in a nice part of the park with a covered but open canopy.

Equipment - The baskets are in good shape. There's a map at #1, use it or wander the desert for 40 years.

Cons:

Layout - There's no positive flow here; it gives you a ton of open at the beginning in the 330-400 range and it will bore you to death.

The wooded holes on the back aren't very well designed, most are left to right shots that aren't very difficult or just a straight shot down a huge fairway. Well there is one hole with a bunch of trees, to many trees. It just never gives you a feeling of fun, the design is uninspired.

There's basically no real elevation changes here, there is a bit of small hills and baskets near hills but mostly flatness.

You play near ball fields, a building, roads and a parking lot. I take that back, you play over a parking lot. I threw over a car and parked it, the disc not the car.

If you don't look at the map at #1 you're probably screwed. Even with the map it was a bit confusing. 15-16 walk is long.

Did I mention how boring 1-8 was? If you can't throw past 350' you're going to loathe the designer

Atmosphere - The open holes would look better if they weren't all in a big stretch and around an ugly building. You play around some fields that aren't very aesthetic...and the parking lot thing again.

On top of all that it's really wet here, this place holds water super bad. Some of the wooded holes feel really swampy and are not very pleasant on the eye.

Equipment - No legit signs, just little stones on the ground that are almost unreadable. No signs helping with navigation along the way, well there is a sticker for 9 that seems to let you know you need to go through a fence, over a sewer system contraption and in to the woods.

The natural tee pads are very natural. I naturally stepped to the side and used a better area not full of roots two or five times.

No benches or trashcans or any of that stuff that might make me think better of this place.

Other Thoughts:

I really like #14. You throw out of the woods off a 15' cliff out in to the open where a basket sits semi guarded by two tall trees.. really fun shot.

The course is right off of I-40 and is a good one to catch while making a trip down the interstate. Other than I would never go here unless I lived down the road and wanted some driving practice; Or if you have kids it's a good place to drop them off with mom while you throw discs... but just play with your kids it'll be funner.

I wouldn't even recommend newer players to go here because the open holes have so much length.
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1 2
jlherrmann
Experience: 38.8 years 60 played 3 reviews
3.00 star(s)

OK Barber 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Jul 6, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

The front nine are wide open and most of the back nine are wooded. It makes for a real good beginner course. It's a course you could take a date to, and not have her be too frustrated. There are score cards with maps at hole #1.

Cons:

No tee pads is my biggest complaint. It's also a big hard to find your way through the first time you play, just because of the poor markings. Be sure to take a score card with the map the first time you play.
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1 4
destroy ya
Experience: 13.1 years 45 played 2 reviews
3.50 star(s)

in a nutshell 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Apr 30, 2012 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

This course deserves a 3.5 overall rating because it demands distance, accuracy, thought and planning. Several open holes, and several precision shots as well.

Cons:

Alot of people complain about the lack of tee pads at Barber,, I welcome the challenge,,, another reason this course is unique,,,,add's character!!!
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2 1
mr.n
Experience: 16.1 years 4 played 1 reviews
2.50 star(s)

2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Mar 4, 2012 Played the course:once

Pros:

Several wide open fairways. Nice elevation changes from tee box and approach shots. Wooded holes are fairly challenging.

Cons:

Par 3 course. Poor markings and no tee pads. A couple of holes had trash and junk laying around. The first wooded hole requires You to cross a creek useing concrete blocks ( not a big problem but might be tough for some). The place holds water if it just rained plan on swamp like conditions.

Other Thoughts:

Good course for beginners or a practice for a pro. Anyone with good distance wont have a real problem here. Still a nice park and this place has tons of potential.
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1 1
BHDragn4207
Experience: 13.1 years 8 played 6 reviews
3.00 star(s)

Review by B 2+ years drive by

Reviewed: Played on:Aug 2, 2011 Played the course:2-4 times

Pros:

Enjoyable to play. This course was nice and had a good combo of open and wooded shots and has some good up hill and down hill shots.

Cons:

There is a steep hill on fairway 3. Basket 3 could be a little further into the field instead of within 20 feet of the drop-off. Be careful not to loose a disc over the hill.
The course is well used, but could have some better signage.

Other Thoughts:

This is an interesting course to play and does have some fun interesting shots.
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